Stent with deflecting connector

Abstract

This disclosure is directed primarily to a stent for use in the trachea. The stent has a nominally deployed state, an axially extended state and an axially compressed state. The stent has a length. In the axially extended state, the length is at least 20% greater than in the nominally deployed state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A stent, comprising:
 a tubular scaffold including a diameter and a plurality of strut columns alternating with a plurality of connector columns along a length of the stent; 
 wherein each of the strut columns includes a plurality of interconnected struts extending circumferentially around a longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the interconnected struts form alternating peaks and troughs; 
 wherein the connector columns include a plurality of connector struts, wherein each of the connector struts includes a first axial segment coupled to a first peak of a first strut column, a second axial segment coupled to a first trough of a second strut column, and a circumferential segment extending in a single circumferential direction from the first axial segment to the second axial segment; and 
 wherein the stent includes a first position having a first length and a second position having a second length, the second length being at least 20% greater than the first length; 
 wherein the stent is configured to shift between the first length and the second length without a changing its diameter. 
 
     
     
       2. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the first axial segment is circumferentially offset from the second axial segment. 
     
     
       3. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connector struts extend between adjacent strut columns in a peak-to-trough configuration. 
     
     
       4. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the circumferential segment of each connector strut extends across at least one trough of the first strut column and at least two peaks of the second strut column. 
     
     
       5. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the first axial segment has a first length and wherein the second axial segment has a second length, and wherein the second axial segment is longer than the first axial segment. 
     
     
       6. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the stent includes a third position having a third length and wherein the third length is shorter than the first length. 
     
     
       7. The stent of  claim 6 , wherein the stent is configured to shift between the first length and the third length without changing its diameter. 
     
     
       8. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of strut columns is formed from a material different from another of the plurality of strut columns. 
     
     
       9. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of strut connectors is formed from a material different from the material used to construct the interconnected struts of at least one of the strut columns. 
     
     
       10. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the first axial segment and the circumferential segment define a first angle therebetween, and wherein the second axial segment and the circumferential segment define a second angle therebetween, and wherein each of the first angle and the second angle is between 90 and 115 degrees when the stent is in the first position. 
     
     
       11. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the first axial segment and the circumferential segment define a first angle therebetween, and wherein the second axial segment and the circumferential segment define a second angle therebetween, and wherein each of the first angle and the second angle is between 125 and 180 degrees when the stent is in the second position. 
     
     
       12. The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the first axial segment and the second axial segment define a circumferential distance extending therebetween, and wherein the circumferential distance shortens as the stent shifts from the first length to the second length. 
     
     
       13. A tracheal stent, comprising:
 a plurality of strut columns alternating with a plurality of connector columns along a longitudinal axis of the stent; 
 wherein each of the strut columns includes a plurality of interconnected struts extending circumferentially around a longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the interconnected struts form alternating peaks and troughs; 
 wherein the connector columns include a plurality of connector struts, and wherein each of the connector struts includes a first axial segment coupled to a first peak of a first strut column, a second axial segment coupled to a first trough of a second strut column, and a circumferential segment extending only in a first circumferential direction from the first axial segment to the second axial segment; 
 wherein the first axial segment is circumferentially offset from the second axial segment; 
 wherein the stent is configured to shift between a nominally deployed configuration in which the stent has a nominally deployed length and an axially extended configuration in which the stent has an axially extended length, wherein the axially extended length is at least 20% greater than the nominally deployed length; 
 wherein the stent is configured to shift between an axially compressed configuration in which the stent has an axially compressed length to the axially extended configuration, wherein the axially compressed length is less than the nominally deployed length. 
 
     
     
       14. The stent of  claim 13 , wherein the stent is configured to shift between the axially compressed length and the axially extended length without changing its diameter. 
     
     
       15. The stent of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of connector struts extend between adjacent strut columns in a peak-to-trough configuration. 
     
     
       16. The stent of  claim 13 , wherein the circumferential segment of each connector strut extends across at least one trough of the first strut column and at least two peaks of the second strut column. 
     
     
       17. The stent of  claim 13 , wherein the first axial segment has a first length and wherein the second axial segment has a second length, and wherein the second axial segment is longer than the first axial segment. 
     
     
       18. The stent of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of strut columns is formed from a material different from another of the plurality of strut columns. 
     
     
       19. The stent of  claim 13 , wherein at least one trough is positioned between adjacent connector struts of the plurality of connector struts. 
     
     
       20. A tracheal stent, comprising:
 a tubular scaffold including a diameter and a plurality of strut columns alternating with a plurality of connector columns along a length of the stent; 
 wherein each of the strut columns includes a plurality of interconnected struts extending circumferentially around a longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the interconnected struts form alternating peaks and troughs; 
 wherein the connector columns include a plurality of connector struts, and wherein each of the connector struts includes a first axial segment coupled to a first peak of a first strut column, a second axial segment coupled to a first trough of a second strut column, and a circumferential segment extending from the first axial segment to the second axial segment; 
 wherein each circumferential segment within each connector column extends in only one circumferential direction from the first axial segment to the second axial segment; 
 wherein the stent includes a first position having a first length and a second position having a second length, and a third position having a third length, the third length being at least 20% greater than the second length and the second length being greater than the first length; 
 wherein the stent is configured to shift between the first length and the third length without a changing its diameter.